Apparatus for cleaning hulls and keels of ships.



No. 637,702. S Patented Nov. 2|, I899. u. w. BRANCH.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING HULLS AND KEELS 0F SHIPS.

(Application filed Aug. 26, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

QNo Model.)

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No. 637,702". Patented Nov. 2|, I899. H. w. BRANCH.

APPARATUS FOR BLEANING HULLS AND KEELS 0F SHIPS.

- (Appliation filed Aug. 26, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Shaets$heet 2.

IN VENTO)? (v I WITNESSES. NW 43? NM a v UNITED. STATES PATENT Games.

HAYDEN W. BRANCH, OF TAMPA, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MASON S.MORENO, OF KEY WEST, FLORIDA.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING HULLS AND KEELS OF SHIPS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 637,702, dated November21, 1899.

Application filed August 26, 1899. Serial No. 728,569. (No model.)

i 8 ride upon pulleys 14, mounted in brackets To all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that I, HAYDEN W. BRANCH,

of Tampa, in the county of Hillsborough and State of Florida, haveinvented a new and- Improved Apparatus for Cleaning Hulls and Keels ofShips, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. A

This invention relates to improvements in devices for cleaning the bullsand keels of vessels; and the object is to provide adevice of thischaracter by means of which the hull and keel of a vessel may be quicklycleaned of barnacles and other foul matter while the vessel is afloat,thus obviating the delay and expense of placing the vessel in dry-dockfor the pur-' pose of cleaning.

I will describe a mechanismfor cleaning: hulls of vessels embodying myinvention, and then point out the novel features in the'ap' pendedclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification,

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts inboth the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mechanism for cleaning hulls ofvessels embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan View thereofReferring to the drawings, 1 designates a float or scow for carrying thecleaning mechanism. At its opposite sides are propellerwheels 2 3,either one of which may be operated by an engine placed in the scow orfloat to move the scow lengthwise of a vessel in the water. Adjustablelengthwise on opposite sides of the float or scow are supporting-bars 45, having bufl'ers 6 at their ends, consisting of rubber or likematerial, to prevent damage to the hull of a vessel should the bufferscontact therewith.

A cleaning-brush 7 is supported on a frame consisting of side bars 8,formed of iron and connected near the bottom by a cross-rod 9 and. nearthe top bya cross-rod 10. The brushback 11 is pivoted on lugs 12,extended upward from the lower ends of the side bars 8, and springs 13are arranged between said back 11 and the side bars at opposite sides ofthe pivotal point of the brush-back. These springs will serve to holdthe brush with its whole surface against the hull of the vessel as thesaid brush is moved up and down. The side bars 15, attached to across-bar 16, adj ustably conneeted with the side bars 4. The upperportions of the side bars 8 of the brush-carrying frame move betweenrollers 17 18, mounted in horizontally-disposed portions 19 of swingingstandards 20.

These swinging standards have their lower ends pivoted in blocks 21,attached to the end of the float or scow. From the upper ends of theside bars 8 rods 22 extend to pivotal connections with swingingstandards 23, connected by a cross-rod 24, from which a cable 25 extendsover a pulley 26, mounted in a frame 27, and on the free end of thiscable 25 is a Weight 28. This weight through its connections with thebrush-carrying frame is designed to hold the brush yieldingly againstthe side of the vessel as the brush is moved up and down. As a furthermeans for holding the brush yieldingly against the vessel a cable 29extends from the cross-bar 10 over a pulley 30, mounted in a frame 31,and the cable has a weight 32 at its free end.

Lifting-cables 33 34 are connected to the cross-bar 9 and extend upwardand respectivelyover pulleys 35 36, thence over pulleys 37 38 towinding-drums 39 40, operated by the engine and having the usual clutchmechanism, which it is notdeemed necessary to show. A drawing-down cable41 is attached to the bar 10 and passes downward around a pulley 42,attached to the lower end of a bar 43, thence over a pulley 44 and apulley 45 to a winding-drum 46, operated by the engine. The bar 43 isdesigned to be shifted or ad- 3' usted toward and from the vessel asoccasion may require, and it is also adjustable vertically. 'It istherefore provided with a series of holes 47, through either one ofwhich a pin 48 may be passed, the said pin passing through openings inplates 49, extended from a swinging bar 50, mounted to swing on a pin51, supported in plates 52, extended forward from the cross-bar 16. Thisswinging bar 50 is provided with a series of holes, through either oneof which the pin 51 may be passed, so as to adjust said bar vertically.Of course as the bar 50 swings the shifting .bar 43 will swing with it.

The upper portion of the bar 50 above the plates 48 is inclined upwardand rearward, and

, metal straps53 connect the upper end of said bar with the upper end ofthe shifting bar 43.

' The straps 53 are provided with holes, through which bolts may bepassed to hold the-bar 43 as adjusted angularly with relation to the ofthe pulleys 14 it is obvious that'la movement of the-frame will beprevente.

bar 50.

Inoperatiou, assuming the. brush '7 to beiu 1 its lowermost position,thedrums 39 40 are to, be set invmotion to wind the cables, thus drawingthe'brush upward, which will be held in j contact with the curvedsurface of the vessel by the means heretofore described. When the brushreachesthe surface of" the water,

the drums 39 and 40 are to be released 'and the drum 46 is to beoperated to windthe' cable 41, thus moving the brushdownward.

During this operation,- if desired, the float may be moved lengthwise ofthe vessel being cleaned; r

As the side flanges of the side bars 8 o the brush-carrying frame engageagainst the ides It is to be understood that a stern prop lei wheelwillbe used to keep the float inp ope-r pesition-against the vesselbeing clean. v

'Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. In amechanism for cleaning hull-s ofvesselsfa brush, a frame upon which the brush is 'fnounted, pulleys onwhich the side bars of the frame are'movable, a float-upon which thepulleys are mounted,- swinging standards on the float, rollers carriedby each of said standaids and between which the side bars of theframeare movable, a weight having connection with-the frame'forfholdingthe brush.

' -yielding1y against a vessel, a weight-conmeans for-moving the framedownward, sub-i v "stantia'lly as specified.

trolled-swinging standard having connection: with'the upper portion ofthe brush-frame means fonmovingthe frame upward, and

2. In a mechanism forc1eani ng hulls of ves sels,-a float, side barsprojecting forward from said float, rollers supported by said bars,'a

brush carryi-ng frame comprising side bars of angle-iron engaging withsaid rol-iers; a brush" having swinging connection with the, lowerportion of said frame, swinging standards on the float, two rollerscarried by each of said stand ards betweenwhichthe sidebars of theframeiniofvaa weight for holding the brushcarrying frame yieldinglytoward the .hull of a vessel, a cable extended from the lower end of theframe,'over pulleys toa winding-drum,a cable extended from the upperportion of the frame to a winding-drum on the hull,'a shifting "bar,aswin gin g bar to which the shifting bar is adj ustably connected, anda pulley 'on the lower end ofsaid shifting bar and around which thelast-named cable passes, substan- 3. In a mechanism for cleaninghullsvessels', a heat, side' bars extended reward from saidfloat, rollerscarried; by said side bars, a brusharrying frame movable on saidrollers, a brush carried by the: frame, arock ing bar supported ibyboltsextended from across-bar connecting the side bars, a shifting bar'having. adjustable connection w'ith the" rocking bar, a pulley on thelower end of said shiftin'g baija cableextended from the upper port'ionof the br ushpef -rying framearoimd said pulley and to a winding-drumcarried by the float, a: cable extended to the lower portion of theframe around pulleys and to windingdrum carried by the float, swingingstandards on the float, rollers in said standards between which thesidebars of the frame are movable,

swinging stanjdards rearward of the firstnamed swinging standards, a rodconnecting said standards with the upper endsof the bars of thebrush-carrying frame, a weight,

"acable eonnection between said {Weigh-tend the lastmamed' swingingstandards, another weight-and a cable extended from said other weight toa connectionwith the frame, substantially as specified.

HAYDEN W. BRAN;OH. Witnesses JNo. M. BITTER, C. R. FERGUSON.

